Vauxhall Corsa 2004 1.2l DESIGN - Vauxhall Corsa Low Oil Pressure (Switch?)

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Tue 15 Jan 2013 18:05
Vauxhall Corsa 2004 1.2l DESIGN - Vauxhall Corsa Low Oil Pressure (Switch?) - TurtleSwagger

I've had this car for a couple of months now, however recently the dashboard has the "Low Oil Pressure" light flickering on and off. It only flickers on when the car is in low revs or idle... and occasionally at 30mph, only very occasionally however. When the low oil pressure light is on there is a very peculiar sound in the engine, not a drilling, but more similar to a very hollow yet damp rattle... (if that makes sense, it sounds more like a Diesel Engine instead of my normal petrol engine, sounds horrible though when i rev it and the noise doesn't go), however, give it a couple of revs and the sound will disappear and it will sound perfectly normal again....

The light only comes on at idle, the oil level is fine.... I've been told the issue may be a sensor, which is causing the engine to restrict certain activity? However I'm not really sure... The light comes on more frequently when the engine is cold, when warmer it comes on less, but not by much at all really...

The first time the Low Oil Pressure light ever appeared was when i went around corners sharply, where it would come on for a second or two, before returning to its normal state of being off...

Thankyou to anyone whos able to shed any light on the issue :) really appreciated

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Tue 15 Jan 2013 18:56
Vauxhall Corsa 2004 1.2l DESIGN - Vauxhall Corsa Low Oil Pressure (Switch?) - Quicksilver

Sound serious. Like oil pump problem?

Maybe big ends?

Q.

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Tue 15 Jan 2013 19:31
Vauxhall Corsa 2004 1.2l DESIGN - Vauxhall Corsa Low Oil Pressure (Switch?) - TurtleSwagger

It doesn't seem too serious to be honest, once its warmed up and im off driving it seems okay.... the guy at Halfords reckoned the switch or sensor has messed up, and so is reporting a "low oil pressure", and that the engine is thereby limiting the revs....

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Tue 15 Jan 2013 20:08
Vauxhall Corsa 2004 1.2l DESIGN - Vauxhall Corsa Low Oil Pressure (Switch?) - bathtub tom

>> When the low oil pressure light is on there is a very peculiar sound in the engine, not a drilling, but more similar to a very hollow yet damp rattle

It means you have insufficient oil pressure to adequately lubricate the bearings, that's their death rattle!

Have you looked at the dipstick?

When was the oil last changed?

I wonder why the previous owner got rid of it?

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Tue 15 Jan 2013 20:33
Vauxhall Corsa 2004 1.2l DESIGN - Vauxhall Corsa Low Oil Pressure (Switch?) - TurtleSwagger

but once i increase the revs it all goes clean again? Dipstick level is fine, I don't know when the oil was last changed but I topped up less than a month ago when it was low...

ahhh now youre getting me worried :( lol

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Tue 15 Jan 2013 20:58
Vauxhall Corsa 2004 1.2l DESIGN - Vauxhall Corsa Low Oil Pressure (Switch?) - elekie&a/c doctor

You should be worried.The oil pressure warning light should never illuminate while the engine is running,under any circumstances.You need to get the oil pressure tested with a proper gauge asap.

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Tue 15 Jan 2013 21:01
Vauxhall Corsa 2004 1.2l DESIGN - Vauxhall Corsa Low Oil Pressure (Switch?) - Collos25

The switch is doing what its supposed to do ,when you rev it up you increase the oil pressure and the light goes out.You have a very sick engine you may get awy with a new oil pump but you have continued to drive the car so I would think the crank and bearings are now shot.

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Tue 15 Jan 2013 21:07
Vauxhall Corsa 2004 1.2l DESIGN - Vauxhall Corsa Low Oil Pressure (Switch?) - TurtleSwagger

But its only in low revs? once the revs have increased the car sounds and feels fine, its only when its idle or with revs lower than they should be...

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Tue 15 Jan 2013 21:07
Vauxhall Corsa 2004 1.2l DESIGN - Vauxhall Corsa Low Oil Pressure (Switch?) - Cyd

I've said this before on here: you should ALWAYS assume that the light means what it says and that there is low pressure and that it is a problem. ESPECIALLY when accompanied by rattling noises (possible big end bearings complaining of a lack of oil).

It's a RED light for a reason!

Have the car recovered to a garage and checked if you cannot do it yourself.

If you've continued to drive the car in this condition I would bet you've gone a long way toward wrecking your motor!!

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Tue 15 Jan 2013 22:14
Vauxhall Corsa 2004 1.2l DESIGN - Vauxhall Corsa Low Oil Pressure (Switch?) - galileo

The previous replies are absolutely correct, the low oil pressure at low revs and the rattle indicate worn bottom-end bearings.

Persist in driving it in this condition and you may end up with a con rod knocking a hole in the block. (This happened to one of my daughter's boyfriends who ignored similar symptoms: new engine required).

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Tue 15 Jan 2013 23:42
Vauxhall Corsa 2004 1.2l DESIGN - Vauxhall Corsa Low Oil Pressure (Switch?) - TurtleSwagger

okay... thanks for all your replies! damn sight more useful than Halfords, shame I can't really do much about this at the moment as I have exams... what would you all recommend to be the most beneficial approach? New Engine Oil Pump?

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Wed 16 Jan 2013 08:57
Vauxhall Corsa 2004 1.2l DESIGN - Vauxhall Corsa Low Oil Pressure (Switch?) - Cyd

okay... thanks for all your replies! damn sight more useful than Halfords, shame I can't really do much about this at the moment as I have exams... what would you all recommend to be the most beneficial approach? New Engine Oil Pump?

This is the second time in a matter of a few weeks that we have had an OP on here with the oil light coming on and simply assuming it must be the pressure switch !!! Crazy!

And, seriously now, what qualifications do you suppose retail staff have to make that diagnosis?? Waht testing did they carry out to support their hypothesis?

As for just fitting a new oil pump - again, what testing has been done to establish that this is the correct course of action?

The car needs to go to a garage, have the oil pressure tested. The pump may need inspecting and yes it may need replacing. But you don't know that yet. The sump also needs to come off so the big ends can be assessed and the crank journals inspected. You may need to have your crank ground (necessitating removal) and the bearings replaced. The pump may be fine and there may be a blockage causing oil starvation to the big ends and/or main bearings.

You ask what we recommend. Well, i recommend you hand the car to someone who has the skills, knowledge and equipment to properly diagnose the problem and then rectify it. A good local independant garage.

Sorry if this seems harsh, but you seem to be in denial and clutching at straws. There are no half measures here, if the bottom end is goosed it's gonna need a rebuild. Simples!

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Wed 16 Jan 2013 09:08
Vauxhall Corsa 2004 1.2l DESIGN - Vauxhall Corsa Low Oil Pressure (Switch?) - thunderbird

okay... thanks for all your replies! damn sight more useful than Halfords, shame I can't really do much about this at the moment as I have exams... what would you all recommend to be the most beneficial approach? New Engine Oil Pump?

This is the second time in a matter of a few weeks that we have had an OP on here with the oil light coming on and simply assuming it must be the pressure switch !!! Crazy!

And, seriously now, what qualifications do you suppose retail staff have to make that diagnosis?? Waht testing did they carry out to support their hypothesis?

As for just fitting a new oil pump - again, what testing has been done to establish that this is the correct course of action?

The car needs to go to a garage, have the oil pressure tested. The pump may need inspecting and yes it may need replacing. But you don't know that yet. The sump also needs to come off so the big ends can be assessed and the crank journals inspected. You may need to have your crank ground (necessitating removal) and the bearings replaced. The pump may be fine and there may be a blockage causing oil starvation to the big ends and/or main bearings.

You ask what we recommend. Well, i recommend you hand the car to someone who has the skills, knowledge and equipment to properly diagnose the problem and then rectify it. A good local independant garage.

Sorry if this seems harsh, but you seem to be in denial and clutching at straws. There are no half measures here, if the bottom end is goosed it's gonna need a rebuild. Simples!

All very true but I hope Avant does not read it. You have to be nice to new posters, telling them the true answer is not acceptable if its bad news.

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Wed 16 Jan 2013 15:37
Vauxhall Corsa 2004 1.2l DESIGN - Vauxhall Corsa Low Oil Pressure (Switch?) - TurtleSwagger

i dont know what qualifications retail staff have and I'm not keen to find out, when I first had the problem I went to Halfords and was told about the oil switch, and therefore assumed they were correct as I'm only 17 and have hardly any techincal knowledge of cars, I only know a lot about Biology

Why would I be in denial? I want to solve the issue, not find ways to "cover it up".

But thankyou, your help is appreciated, I'd arranged to have it looked at by a garage, they reckon it may be the Switch still, but theres a possibility it'll need an engine rebuild....

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Wed 16 Jan 2013 15:58
Vauxhall Corsa 2004 1.2l DESIGN - Vauxhall Corsa Low Oil Pressure (Switch?) - skidpan

The facts appear quite simple to me.

If you only had a intermittent flickering light I would go along with the switch theory

but

you have said it makes noises when the light is showing. The noises will probably be caused by a lack of oil pressure.

If this is the case you would have probably got away with a new pump if you had stopped driving it immediately but since you have carried on driving other damage may have been done. To check the engine will need a partial stripdown to check.

In future if a warning light flashes stop and get it checked by a real garage and not Halfords. They sell spares, accessories and a few tools and are staffed by people your age with no mechanical knowledge or training.

Motoring is not a cheap passtime and trying to save money by trusting a kids opinion at Halfords is a sure way of it costing you more.

Garages exist for a reason, use them.

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Wed 16 Jan 2013 16:53
Vauxhall Corsa 2004 1.2l DESIGN - Vauxhall Corsa Low Oil Pressure (Switch?) - galileo

It would be helpful to you to have a look at "http://auto.howstuffworks.com/car.htm" , this would give you enough basic knowledge that you will understand what garages are talking about.

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Wed 16 Jan 2013 17:55
Vauxhall Corsa 2004 1.2l DESIGN - Vauxhall Corsa Low Oil Pressure (Switch?) - TurtleSwagger

Thankyou for all your responses, theyve given me a wide insight :) thanks for the website especially, this can help prevent issues in the future which I'm sure will inevitably happen...

ISSUE SOLVED. It was the switch in the end, Halfords guy was correct.... however I respect your opinions and next time will conform to attending a garage instead, as you clearly know a lot more than me, many thanks to all of you for helping :)

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Wed 16 Jan 2013 18:50
Vauxhall Corsa 2004 1.2l DESIGN - Vauxhall Corsa Low Oil Pressure (Switch?) - Cyd

Good. I am genuinely pleased for you that it was. At least it was diagnosed properly by testing rather than guesswork.

But one question remains - what was the rattling noise that accompanied the light? And does it still occur?

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Wed 16 Jan 2013 19:24
Vauxhall Corsa 2004 1.2l DESIGN - Vauxhall Corsa Low Oil Pressure (Switch?) - TurtleSwagger

thankyou :) its appreciated

and I genuinely don't know... which has concerned me slightly... but as long as it doesn't occur I'm not complaining

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Wed 16 Jan 2013 19:26
Vauxhall Corsa 2004 1.2l DESIGN - Vauxhall Corsa Low Oil Pressure (Switch?) - injection doc

Glad its OK. One of the corsa engines used to suffer with the camshaft bearings comming loose making them rattle ! worth checking, this can also drop the oil pressure.

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Wed 16 Jan 2013 20:09
Vauxhall Corsa 2004 1.2l DESIGN - Vauxhall Corsa Low Oil Pressure (Switch?) - TurtleSwagger

ahh might have to put a bit of research into that then, I found out the 16V one that I have also suffers oil issues occasionally

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Sun 20 Jan 2013 02:28
Vauxhall Corsa 2004 1.2l DESIGN - Vauxhall Corsa Low Oil Pressure (Switch?) - 1litregolfeater

you'll need an oil pump kit that used to be about £50, and probably one set of piston rings, about £30.

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